Chapter 5
The riders and their dragons were forced to retreat, dodging Tenor's blasts. Re managed to get Aurora, and fly her to the airship. Serenity was still circling. She'd seen the mayhem and kept the ship close, but also out of harm's way. Re very carefully set Aurora down. The queen was thrashing around in pain. Blood was gushing out of the wound in her neck. Serenity ran to them. She tried to stop the bleeding but Aurora wouldn't stay still. Quickly Serenity filled a syringe with a heavy dosage of Speed Stinger venom, and inserted it into Aurora's skin. With in minuets the blue dragon went limp, but was still moaning in pain. Serenity worked quickly and skillfully to treat the wound in Aurora's neck. The rest of the group landed on the deck. Hiccup ran to the helm and steered the ship away from the island. The hybrids kept up their attack, with Tenor in the lead. Aurora was too weak to use her magic to speed the ship up. Tenor opened his mouth to blast the ship, but then Black Widow came out of no where and knocked Tenor off course. She buzzed around his head, causing him to get distracted. Tenor roared and snapped his jaws at his own daughter. Black Widow flew in a different direction, and all the hybrids took off after her. The airship was now able to escape.
Black Widow flew as fast as she could, the hybrids were hot on her tail. Tenor was closest. Black Widow was just barely able to dodge her father's blast. She saw that the air ship was a safe distance, and now she needed to shake her pursuers. She looked over her wing at Tenor. He was readying another blast.
"I'm sorry Daddy," Black Widow said. She flipped around and flew at Tenor. When she was close enough she slashed his face with her talons, followed by his left wing. Tenor howled in pain and fell towards the sea, and Black Widow fell with him. They splashed into the water. The blood from Tenor's wounds dyed the water red. Black Widow treaded water beside him. The other hybrids were coming towards them. Black Widow took one last look her father, then she dove beneath the water and swam away. After swimming a good distance, she resurfaced. She looked back and saw the hybrids retrieving Tenor from the water. Tears filled her eyes.
"Please be okay," she said. Then she continued swimming back towards the airship.
As the airship made its way back to Berk everyone on board were catching their breath. Serenity was working on Aurora's wounds. The queen was still unconscious and paralyzed. Blood was already seeping through the bandages Serenity had wrapped around it. Serenity tied a tourniquet around Aurora's neck, she tightened it just enough to stop the bleeding but not too tight so she couldn't breathe. Then Serenity began stitching up the gashes. Re, Chris, Avalon, and Apollo watched anxiously. Just then Black Widow met back up with the airship. She landed on the deck, not looking at anyone.
"Thanks Black Widow," Hiccup said from the helm.
"Sure," the dragonet said sadly. She sat on her haunches silently.
"What are we going to do now?" Astrid asked. Everyone looked at Hiccup. He turned the helm over to Eret.
"We'll head back to Berk first," Hiccup said. "Then we'll worry about the hybrids." Re approached Serenity as she was finishing her work.
"Will she be okay?" Re asked.
"Yes," said Serenity. "She landed pretty hard and cracked a few bones, so she'll be in pain for a while. But she will get better." She wrapped the queen's neck in clean bandages. "I'll be keeping her sedated so she's not in too much pain." She finished and put her supplies back into her bag.
"But if she's sedated, she can't use any of her magic," Chris said, worried.
"No," Serenity confirmed. "But we've gotten by without magic before." Re laid down beside his queen. "She's lucky Tenor didn't bite her."
"What's happened to him?" Windwalker asked.
"I think he, and all those other hybrids, are under someone's control," said Avalon. "I sensed a powerful presence on that island."
"Like a Bewilderbeast?" Chris asked.
"I guess so," said Avalon. "But I've never met one of those, so I don't know what their power feels like." She looked down at her mother. "But maybe Mama can tell us when she feels better. I'm sure she felt the power too."
"I don't think she'll be coming around anytime soon," said Serenity. Avalon blinked back tears.
"Hopefully we come up with a solution soon," she said. "For Tenor's sake." They all agreed. Windwalker looked over at her daughter. Black Widow was laying in the shadows, curled into a ball with her head under her wing. Windwalker went over and laid beside her. She could hear the young dragonet crying softly. She must have sensed that her mother was beside her, but didn't emerge. Windwalker draped her wing around her, but said nothing. The airship headed for Berk.
Back at Hybrid Hideout; Chimera sat in her ice cave. She suddenly heard her hybrids landing in the main cave. She got to her feet and went outside. A green and grey Typhoomerang and Thunderdrum hybrid was supporting Tenor, who was favoring his left wing. He had a nasty gash across is snout, and on his wing arm. His eyes were still wide and blank, as though he couldn't feel his injuries.
"What happened?" Chimera demanded.
"That Night Fury alpha attacked our island," said Ghost. "They got away though, on some kind of flying boat." She was already putting wet seaweed on Tenor's cuts. "But Tenor successfully took down the queen, she can't use her magic now."
"Well, that's one victory at least," said Chimera. "But who hurt Tenor?"
"A younger hybrid," said Fossil. "Looked just like Tenor."
"Must have been his dragonet," said a Monstrous Nightmare-Timberjack hybrid. Chimera growled.
"What kind of child does that to their own parent," she said. "Well if the Night Fury wants a fight, I'll give him one. Will Tenor be able to fight again?" She looked at Ghost.
"Yes," said Ghost. "He'll be at full strength in just a day or two." Chimera clanged her alpha crystals again, making sure Tenor was well under her control. "Tenor, you're going to attack the Night Fury's island. Make sure they leave us alone from now on." Tenor nodded.
When the airship got back to Berk; Aurora was transported to Serenity's hospital. The queen stayed asleep. Once she was settled, Serenity checked her wounds. Aurora squirmed in her sleep. As Serenity was giving her another dose of Speed Stinger venom Hiccup and Toothless landed next to the tree.
"Hey Re, we're meeting at the great hall," Hiccup said. "Since Tenor was on your team, you should join us." Re sighed and glanced down at his queen.
"Well, all right," he said. Avalon stood next to him.
"I can fill in for Mother if you want," the princess offered. Re smiled at her, though it didn't reach his eyes.
"All right," he said. He nuzzled her. Then he turned to Apollo. "Perhaps you can fill in for Tenor Apollo." The red dragonet looked shocked.
"Um, okay I guess," he said nervously. "Though I don't think I can be as good as him."
"That's okay, we're just filling in," said Avalon. She gave her brother a nudge. Then the two of them followed their dad down to the great hall.
Inside, the rest of the riders were already gathered. The three Draconians and Toothless were the only dragons present. They all gathered around the center fire pit. Apollo and Avalon perched on the rim so they could be the same height as the others.
"How's Aurora?" Astrid asked.
"She'll live," Re said weakly. "But I'm more worried about Tenor. Avalon sensed a powerful presence on that island that was controlling all the hybrids. That's why they were attacking."
"Could it be a Bewilderbeast?" Fishlegs asked. They all looked at Avalon.
"I don't know,' she said. "I've never met a Bewilderbeast, so I don't know what their power feels like. Perhaps this dragon is only part Bewilderbeast, and that's why it's controlling only hybrids."
"That makes sense," said Hiccup.
"And it's manipulating the hybrids to defend its island," said Valka. "That's what our Bewilderbeast did. Tenor would be a valuable asset to that cause."
"And since Tenor hasn't returned to us, it must mean this alpha hybrid is keeping him under mind control so he can't escape," Re said. His voice was so low and worn. He didn't look anyone in the eye, but kept his focus on the fire in front of him.
"Can't we just go back and try to break Uncle Tenor free?" Apollo asked.
"It's too dangerous," said Astrid. "Your mother was almost killed. We can't take that risk."
"We can try to catch him, and bring him back here," Apollo suggested.
"Tenor can't be captured," said Hiccup. "He's too smart for that." Apollo slouched in defeat.
"We can't just leave him there forever," said Avalon. "He's our family." They all exchanged looks.
"We'll have to leave him there for now," said Astrid. "He's safe there at least. None of us have had to fight against Tenor before, at least not in a fight to the death. Tenor won't have any control over who he bites."
"We'll take a day or two to rest and recuperate," said Hiccup. "Then meet back up. Hopefully Aurora feels better by then." Re said nothing, and still didn't look at anyone. Everyone else agreed. Avalon and Apollo followed Re back outside. They all headed up to the apple tree.
Edelweiss had already asleep, as were Windwalker and Black Widow. Chris and Serenity were both sitting next to Aurora. They looked up as Re landed with Apollo and Avalon.
"How'd it go?" Serenity asked.
"Boring," said Avalon. "No one has any new ideas yet. So for now, Tenor has to stay trapped there." Re quietly laid down beside Aurora. His eyes looked lost and unfocused. Chris was feeling the same emptiness Re was.
"Re, are you going to be okay?" Serenity asked.
"My two best friends are lost," Re said flatly. "I feel I can't be a great king without them." Avalon curled up next to him, and Apollo followed suit.
"Well, no one's expecting you to be a great king at the moment," Chris said. Re smiled appreciatively, but again, it didn't reach his eyes. He laid his head down and closed his eyes. He was asleep in just a few minuets. Avalon and Apollo soon fell asleep as well. Serenity got to her feet.
"You think you'll still ride, with Tenor gone?" Chris asked her.
"Maybe," Serenity said. "But I don't think I'll bond with another dragon, I'll just ride when I need to." She sat in her chair. Chris sat next to her. "At least Tenor's alive, and safe." Chris gripped her hand.
"We'll get him back," he said. "We're not giving up." With that, they too went to bed.
Black Widow did not sleep well that night. She kept dreaming that Tenor came back on his own, or that they'd gone back to the island and gotten him back. But every time she woke up, she realized none of those things had happened. Black Widow was missing her dad so badly. Every shadow that passed over; she thought was him, but was just a bird. She heard whooshing sounds; she thought was his wing beats, but was just the wind in the trees. Black Widow considered waking her mother, but thought better of it. Just then the full moon came out from the clouds. Black Widow glanced up at it, and the stars around it. She felt a bit better with the moon and stars out. Tenor always told how the moon and stars had watched over him all throughout his life. Black Widow felt as though they were watching over her now. She made herself comfortable in the grass, and looked up at her father's old friends until she fell asleep.
The next day or so no one did much. They were all brainstorming about how they would get Tenor back. Serenity stayed near Aurora, keeping her wounds clean. The queen stayed asleep, and all three of her children stayed at her side. They helped Serenity with anything she asked. Edelweiss stayed at Black Widow's side. Black Widow appreciated the company, she was missing her father more and more.
On the second night after the fight with the hybrids; Re was getting fish from the feeding station. He didn't go out to sea to fish, as he didn't want to leave his queen. Hiccup, Astrid, and their dragons came up to him.
"How's Aurora doing?" Astrid asked. "Has she woken up yet?"
"She's improving," Re said. "But she hasn't woken yet, but we're hoping she will soon." He swallowed a cod. Suddenly there came a powerful plasma blast from an unseen source. It hit a house, which exploded. Another blast hit Fishlegs's house. The whole village was roused and came running into the plaza. Another blast struck the doors of the great hall.
"What's going on?" Gobber asked, coming out of the forge.
"Riders, in the air," Hiccup demanded, getting on Toothless. The other riders got on their dragons and flew over the village. They kept their senses open. Then a large shadow dropped from the sky and rammed into Stormfly. The Nader had no time to open her spines. The black dragon slashed her wings, causing her to fall out of the sky. But before anyone could fly to her rescue, the black dragon did the same to the other dragons. Toothless managed to avoid it, but the others weren't as lucky. The other dragons on the island took up the offense. As they sought Tenor out, the other hybrids attacked. The Berkian dragons were outmatched, they hybrids were too unfamiliar, unpredictable, and very powerful. Worst part was that Tenor was in the lead, and his attacks were ruthless. He bit every dragon that attacked him, or one of the other hybrids. The hybrids did more damage to the Berkian dragons, then they received themselves. None of the Berkian dragons tried to face off against Tenor, but he still bit and killed many of them. Hiccup and Toothless circled high overhead. Toothless shot a plasma blast to get Tenor's attention. A minuet later Tenor came roaring at them. Toothless activated his titan wing and was about to fight Tenor, when another Night Fury came out of the clouds and knocked the black hybrid off course. Tenor roared in outrage and fell several feet. Chris and Windwalker pulled up along side Hiccup and Toothless.
"Thanks," Hiccup said.
"Sure," Chris said. "What do we do now?"
"We'll have to take him down," Hiccup said solemnly. "Before he kills anyone else." Chris and Windwalker exchanged an anxious look. Just then Tenor came at them again, this time his titan wing was activated. The two Night Furies split up. Tenor kept blasting them, which they dodged. The two Night Furies headed into the clouds. They hovered in place to catch their breath.
"How are we going to take him down with getting blasted or bitten?" Hiccup wondered aloud. He thought a moment. "We can come at him from two directions. The front and the back. But that increases the chance of one of us getting bitten." Chris took a deep breath.
"We'll come at him from the front," he said. "Hopefully if Tenor does bite me, my bond with Dad keeps me alive."
"Well, hopefully we get him before he bites," Hiccup said. He steered Toothless out of the clouds. Chris and Windwalker were left hovering there. Chris patted his dragon's neck.
"You ready?" He asked gently.
"I think so," said Windwalker. "I only hope we don't end up killing him." She then headed out of the clouds as well and hovered in plain sight. She fired a plasma blast to get Tenor's attention again. They waited, and looked in all directions. Suddenly Tenor's roar filled the night again, followed by Toothless's plasma blast. Chris and Windwalker looked behind them to see Tenor attacking Hiccup and Toothless. Windwalker flew to their aid as fast as she could. They got there just in time to see Tenor rip off Hiccup's metal leg, and slash Toothless's wing. Windwalker rammed Tenor off them, before he could bite Toothless. Chris quickly hit the pressure point on Tenor's right wing, causing it to stop working. Tenor snarled and suddenly sank his teeth into Chris's shoulder, before he fell towards the sea.